Business Leader

The latest edition of Business Matters is out.    In this edition:    💡 How hims & hers is trying to revolutionise healthcare    💡 Camden Collective The Victorian-era primary school turned start-up incubator  💡 Emma Jones' three tips on how to take advantage of the new government    💡 How management undermines leadership    💡 Turtle Bay Restaurants and the king of the big night out   

Appearing on the Off to Lunch podcast by Business Leader, our CEO Chris Oglesby talks about his career in property and the values that drive him. In a candid interview with Graham Ruddick, Chris explains the role of symbiosis as the key to success. If UKplc is to be the best that it can be, there should be stronger symbiotic relationships, including city to city, between cities and their local towns, and between regional cities and the Golden Triangle, to maximise and complement the unique strengths of each rather than competing or drawing on resources from each other. This approach, along with the equally important symbiosis of the public and private sector, working together for the greatest impact, lies at the heart of Bruntwood SciTech’s unique proposition, which sees us nurture vibrant collaborative partnerships to turbo charge support for the UK’s fastest growing sectors, which ultimately have the biggest potential for economic impact and job creation in the UK regions where it can make the most difference, as well as building a more attractive proposition for international businesses to enter the UK market. From the professional influences of Richard Leese and the late Sir Howard Bernstein, to his family’s love of skiing and commitment to social impact, the interview is a broad-ranging picture of Chris Oglebsy as an entrepreneur, leader and family man. Offering his views on the recent move away from ‘Levelling Up’ terminology, Chris also shares his hopes and asks of the new Government and his aspirations for the future of the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine. Listen here ⬇️

'Will the executive suite beat customer services this week in the league...?' We’re used to the idea of competition being a good idea when it exists between companies in open markets to raise standards, drive innovation and keep prices low for customers. But have you considered the power of competition *within* companies? Bruce Bratley, the founder and CEO of First Mile | Certified B Corp believes it’s an important factor to consider when you design your product offering, as he explained in our latest piece of video advice for Business Leader. Bruce Bratley founded waste management and recycling company First Mile in London in 2004. It helps more than 30,000 businesses around the UK with recycling solutions including large firms like Pret, Caffè Nero, Netflix and Amazon – but plenty of individual small businesses too, from clothes stores to restaurants. It collects more than 65,000 tonnes of waste every year using zero and low-emission vehicles and electric cargo bikes, which it takes to recycling centres. One of the ways it drives up recycling rates from clients is by harnessing competition between employees within companies. It offers a digital dashboard where staff can check out internal league tables, which show who is achieving the best recycling rates in the company. “So in a large office block we can see if the recycling is better from the executive suite floor, or better from the customer services floor,” says Bratley. Retail outlets with a presence around the UK can also enter competitions on a map to see which stores are performing best. “Managers in particular like it to motivate their staff,” says Bratley. Have you ever harnessed internal competition within a business, or experienced it as a staff member? Follow Business Leader and me Dougal Shaw for more thought-provoking business videos like this in your timeline. Thanks Caiti Black Tom Batchelar

This week we’re joined by Andrew Dudum, founder and CEO of hims & hers, on the Business Leader podcast 🎧 Dudum founded wellness platform Hims & Hers to bring healthcare into the digital age, specialising in treatments for conditions that traditionally have a stigma attached such as hair loss and erectile dysfunction. They're another great example of a high-growth American tech company, with an annual revenue of $870 million in 2023 and a valuation of more than $3.5bn (£2.7bn). In this episode, Dudum discusses the impact of coming from a long line of entrepreneurs, why going public is a game-changer for growing £billion companies and why he thinks too many business leaders are actually building their companies “upside-down”. Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/eEX4FezT

GIVEAWAY 🎟️   We’ve got a ticket for Ideas Fest and we’re giving it to someone in our community! Dubbed the “Glastonbury for entrepreneurs”, Ideas Fest is an unforgettable two-day event where innovation, inspiration, and networking for passionate entrepreneurs come together. This year, our very own Richard Harpin will be taking the stage on September 12th at 11:05 AM to reveal his 8 Secrets to Building a £Billion Business, so this is your chance to hear his story of growth and business breakthrough.   Whether you're leading a growing team or navigating the challenges of scaling, this event is the perfect place to connect with like-minded professionals and spark new ideas.   To enter, comment and share this post & follow Business Leader.   The winner will be announced on 2nd September - see you at Ideas Fest 🙌 Francesca James

Chris Oglesby, Bruntwood CEO, joined us on the Business Leader podcast to discuss building Bruntwood into a powerhouse real estate business, responsible for some of the most important regeneration projects in Manchester and the north-west England. With over £1bn of assets and projects covering millions of square feet, Oglesby has successfully scaled an inherited business into a giant. We find out how. Read Graham Ruddick’s key takeaways here: https://lnkd.in/eJR6a5xy

It’s hard to tempt people back to the office these days, but what if your new workspace was a primary school? You can still see the faded hopscotch marks on the floor of the playground and above the entrance door is the word “Infants” engraved in stone. But the people who walk beneath it now are more likely to be 20-something eco-disruptors. Hawley Infants is a classic Victorian-era primary school in north London, but it’s now buzzing with start-up entrepreneurs. That’s because the building is part of the Camden Collective, a charity set up in the wake of the financial crisis in 2009 that uses pop-up spaces to support enterprise in the community. Transport for London, which owns the building, is going to redevelop it to make a new tube entrance for Camden Town station in the next five to 10 years. In the meantime, it is offering them a temporary lease, so the start-up founders are going back to school... I went to meet them for Business Leader. Thanks to Robert Fiehn Leyah March Jade Batstone Eddie Gillow Think & Do Camden DON'T WASTE TASTE Oshun Labs Amy G. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/eAsCYpaP

Now, more than ever, your idle cash should be making you money.      When your business banks with OakNorth, you can earn up to 4.75% AER* interest on excess funds, get access to sector-specific support from a dedicated Business Partner, plus you can be up and running in days.     Apply now: https://lnkd.in/eqUFxx9T    *Variable rate correct as of 22-Aug-2024. T&Cs apply. #Sponsored

I used to tell my kids, ‘Don’t talk to strangers!’ Now, 20 years later, I’m opening my door to welcome them into my house.... When the pandemic hit and everyone was rushing out of the big cities, the entrepreneur in me said to do the opposite. So, I took the plunge and invested in a home in London, now I split my time between there and Yorkshire. This is also where I host some of the Business Leader Growth Workshops. For those of you who don't know, these workshops are my way of sharing insights and learnings, including my 8 secrets to building a billion-pound business—the 8 things I’m convinced would’ve helped me build HomeServe in half the time. When I first started holding these workshops, people were surprised that I invited them to my home. I got a lot of funny looks! “Richard, are you sure you want to invite people to your house?” But so far, I have found that it has been the best place to foster meaningful conversations where people feel connected and inspired. It’s shown me that mixing business with a bit of pleasure can work wonders—and that strangers can become valued connections. We’ve got a few more dates lined up, and I’d be delighted to welcome some new entrepreneurs at my doorstep.

Great to catch up with recycling entrepreneur Bruce Bratley of First Mile | Certified B Corp for a Business Leader interview today. We discussed: ♻️ Early days of the business, when founders get their hands dirty ♻️ Scaling through specialised customer acquisition ♻️ Competitive recycling and employee incentives in large companies ♻️ What can be done nationally to improve recycling rates Podcast, video and more to come soon.